Tech-inspired summer camps: 10 cool choices

When it comes to high-tech camps, summer diversions for the C++ crowd are now playgrounds for tomorrow's creative scientists, filmmakers, animators, photographers, engineers, astronauts, doctors, and, yes, even rock stars.

Today's campers use equipment and software you'd expect to find at elite college campuses or production studios, with camp prices varying from free to up to $2,000 per week.

Here's a list of some of the more intriguing camps we've come across.

Livewire
CyberCamps' new Livewire program at Walt Disney World in Florida for kids 14 to 18 is $2,000 for the week, sans airfare. Teens learn about the physics of motion during a ride on a roller coaster and then design a virtual roller coaster at a computer lab in the middle of Epcot Center. They meet with designers from the Ideas Studio and get to record themselves at a Foley studio, where celebrities lay down tracks for Disney film animations. The program has a staff-to-participant ratio of 1 to 6, with adult chaperones in the dorms. Perks include the use of a personal cell phone if a camper doesn't already have his own.

Discovery Camp
The Discovery Camp run by the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Mich., offers day- and residential-camp programs for kids looking to explore the technology of past American innovators like Alexander Graham Bell. A week of day camp costs about $300, while residential camp costs slightly more, depending on the program. Kids perform "green" experiments while learning about agronomist and inventor George Washington Carver and assemble a Model T as they study Henry Ford.

The Exxon Mobile Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp
There is an admissions process for those who want to attend the Exxon Mobile Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp, but students who are accepted don't have to pay a dime. The two-week residential camp is funded by donations from NASA and Exxon Mobile--donations raised by The Harris Foundation, whose mission is to promote math, science and technology. The program is filled with hands-on lab projects and field trips to real-life science and engineering laboratories where kids can meet and talk to astronauts, doctors, pilots, engineers and others in tech-related fields. The program is intended to promote intelligence as a positive cultural asset and to emphasize that anyone can excel in the sciences, regardless of gender.

The New York Film Academy
The teen and tween camps produced by the New York Film Academy, whose alumni include the offspring of director Steven Spielberg and actor Tim Robbins, offer participants the opportunity to be a director, sound operator or gaffer, among other things. There are multiweek programs in 3D animation, and students can learn to shoot on 16mm film with an Arriflex-S camera or try their hand with digital cameras and instruction on Final Cut Pro software on Apple computers. Prices average a little more than $1,000 per week, plus $700 for those interested in room and board.

The intensive workshops for teens--offered in several locations, including New York; Paris; London; Florence, Italy; and Cambridge, Mass.--come in four-week and six-week stints, though there are some one-week programs. Kids ages 10 to 13 can choose between two weeklong day camp sessions and weekend programs offered at the school's locations in New York and Universal Studios in Los Angeles.

School of Rock
In addition to its regular, year-round program running nationwide, the Paul Green School of Rock Music--the franchise of schools started by the man who inspired the movie School of Rock--offers intensive two-week summer programs at several locations that include more than just jam sessions. Kids ages 8 to 18 get an opportunity to learn about sound-recording technology and designing stage shows.

[andrewcareaga]

A camp where kids can blow stuff up

Those are all very cool campus, but how about this one: explosives camp, where kids learn to blow stuff up and set up fireworks displays.

[andrewcareaga]

Explosives camp web link

Here's the link to explosives camp:

http://news.umr.edu/news/2007/explosivescamp07.html

[Randys2cents]

Apple Camp

Apple also has a really cool camp for kids.
Here is the link:

http://www.apple.com/retail/camp/

[joipodgorny]

Don't forget CyberCamps

I was a cap director a few years back for a great tech camp, CyberCamps. Here is theie blurb form their site (http://cybercamps.com)

"Now, in our 11th year, Cybercamps continues to lead by providing the coolest experience for kids ages 7-18. We have the only research-proven teaching methods available in a summer computer camp at all our 50 locations nationwide including UCLA, Stanford, MIT, Duke and many more. For youth this means tons of fun. For parents, it means that Cybercamps is the best educational experience you can find.

Our courses offer what today?s youth want ? individual projects using the coolest technologies. Our courses include Game Design, Flash® Animation, Video Production, Robotics, Web Design, 3D Modeling for Games?just to name a few."

[mlmiller]

yatc (yet another tech camp)

Here is one more series of tech camps that we happen to think are pretty cool (I admit to bias here):

http://www.learningtech.org/services/workshops/

Enjoy, Mark

[nirkouris]

eCamp Israel- The BEST International Hi-Tech Summer Camp!

eCamp Israel - An International Technology Summer Camp
We welcome kids& Teenagers from all over the world to join Israel's success story:
eCamp Israel is an International Technology Summer Camp, opening the gates to the #1 success story of Israel ? Technology Innovation. eCamp Israel introduces the campers to an enriching experience that touches their deepest emotions and spur creative energies in their minds. We provide an original, creative and fascinating program, matching worldwide youth with Israeli peers in a unique way using universal language ? Technology. eCamp Israel is an overnight summer camp where worldwide youth who love technology get together for an unforgettable experience.
eCamp Israel is officially supported by the President of Israel, Israel Ministry of Tourism and Minister Advisor for Diaspora.
please visit: http://www.ecampisrael.com/

[KieferL]

Giant Campus' summer camps give kids the essential 21st century skills needed for success in today's tech-driven, global marketplace. While we're teaching kids how to program a computer, build a robot or design a Web site, we're also encouraging them to think critically, work collaboratively and communicate effectively - igniting their potential and building character.

Cybercamps Academy (ages 10-17) - Held on 50+ college campuses nationwide, this team-building, problem-solving learning environment using research-proven curriculum infuses technology training with fun, physical activities. Use this promo code to earn a discount when you register: (kieferlobb)

Livewire (ages 14-18) - This epic week at the Walt Disney World® Resort is a dynamic mix of VIP access, hands-on learning and full-throttle fun. Use this promo code to earn a discount when you register: (kiefercash)

Cybercamps (ages 6-11) - Select Pump It Up locations host an introduction to the world of technology, exercising kids' minds and bodies. Use this promo code to earn a discount when you register: (kiefercash)

[w00tmaster360]

Nice Camps.
CyberCamps Academy should also be on that list. They offer:
- 3D Dame Design
- Game Design
- Web Design
- Game Modding
- Photoshop



Giant Campus? summer camps give kids the essential 21st century skills needed for success in today?s tech-driven, global marketplace. While we?re teaching kids how to program a computer, build a robot or design a Web site, we?re also encouraging them to think critically, work collaboratively and communicate effectively ? igniting their potential and building character.

Cybercamps Academy (ages 10-17) ? Held on 50+ college campuses nationwide, this team-building, problem-solving learning environment using research-proven curriculum infuses technology training with fun, physical activities. Use this promo code to earn a discount when you register: (woot180)

Livewire (ages 14-18) ? This epic week at the Walt Disney World® Resort is a dynamic mix of VIP access, hands-on learning and full-throttle fun. Use this promo code to earn a discount when you register: (woot180)

Cybercamps (ages 6-11) ? Select Pump It Up locations host an introduction to the world of technology, exercising kids? minds and bodies. Use this promo code to earn a discount when you register: (woot180)

[w00tmaster360]

****Nice Camps. CyberCamps Academy should also be on that list. They offer: - 3D Dame Design - Game Design - Web Design - Game Modding - Photoshop. ***Giant Campus summer camps give kids the essential 21st century skills needed for success in today's tech-driven, global marketplace. While we're teaching kids how to program a computer, build a robot or design a Web site, we're also encouraging them to think critically, work collaboratively and communicate effectively, igniting their potential and building character. Cybercamps Academy (ages 10-17) is Held on 50+ college campuses nationwide, this team-building, problem-solving learning environment using research-proven curriculum infuses technology training with fun, physical activities. Use this promo code to earn a discount when you register: (woot180) ****Livewire (ages 14-18) This epic week at the Walt Disney World® Resort is a dynamic mix of VIP access, hands-on learning and full-throttle fun. Use this promo code to earn a discount when you register: (woot180) ****Cybercamps (ages 6-11) ?] Select Pump It Up locations host an introduction to the world of technology, exercising kids? minds and bodies. Use this promo code to earn a discount when you register: (woot180)

[w00tmaster360]

Oops! the promo codes above are incorrect. Use the promo " w00t180 " instead.

[djbagley]

TechPlayzone in the Tampa Bay Area has excellent day camps for summer campers featuring video game design, LEGO Mindstorms robotics, movie-making, and web animation. Most tech camps cater to middle school and high school students. TechPlayzone teaches tech skills to elementary school students while engaging them in math and science skills. TechPlayzone is an award winning camp with a 1to 8 facilitator to camper ratio. Summer campers engage in a variety of activities through-out the week including Scratch, Lego Mindstorms, Web Animation, and amazing hands-on science experiments. Visit techplayzone.com/techplay for more details about TechPlayzone's Summer Camp.

[TechiemomCA]

My kids loved iD Tech! When your kids beg you to go back, you know it's a great camp. When their teachers are impressed with what they now do in school with their projects, you're even more impressed with this camp. My son took a video game course and then created a video game to supplement a school project. The teacher was incredibly pleased and didn't stop raving about it during an open house. My daughter has made movies of trips and for school. Both kids have gone to other camps and this is by far the best. What they've learned in just a week is incredible. The counselors are so energetic and knowledgeable that they definitely influence the campers and make it more fun. iD Tech is the most amazing camp experience. And that's the key- it's an experience, much more than a camp.